Mineral separator



March 20, 1934. c. KOCH MINERAL .SEPARATOR Original Filed May 19, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 1 k 7 W 0 3K0 I W I M I 4 U 5 9 m u v 7 v\\K\ 9/ 9 W Q M Nav 9 M 3 March 20, 1934. Q K 1,951,795

MINERAL SEPARATOR Original Filed May 19, 1930 3'SheetS-Sheet 2 f 5 7 5 20/ Zu5.m0%

Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES MINERAL SEPARATOR Charles Koch,Casper, Wyo.

Application May 19, 1930, Serial No. 453,743 Renewed June 27, 1933 6Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for recoveringminerals by the process of washing.

The primary object of the present mineral recovering device is to catchor recover a larger percentage of the desired minerals than is possi blewith machines of the character at present in use and with less cost.

The present invention contemplates broadly 1D the provision of a seriesof superposed troughs each disposed at an inclination and each emptyingits contents into the next lower trough. All of these troughs aremounted for oscillation in a plane at right angles to the direction offlow of the minerals and wash water passing therethrough and each isprovided with a means for separating the finer aggregate of the mineralfrom the coarser.

A further object of the invention is to provide in oscillating troughsof the above described character an improved form of agitator for eachtrough whereby the material being washed is thoroughly stirred up ineach trough before its passage to the next lower trough.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in troughs of theabove described character, an improved means for preventing the mineralsfrom being raised to the top of the wash water as the same is dischargedfrom one trough into the other and an improved means for making the fiowof water in the troughs smooth and free of foam.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so longas such changes or modifications mark no material. departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of the mineral separator embodying thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section of one of the troughs of theseparator.

Figure 4 is a view in cross-section of the trough taken on the line 4--4of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in cross-section of the trough taken on the line 5-5of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view in top plan of the forward end of one of the troughs.

Figure 7 is a front view of the upper portion of the supporting frame.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is indicated. generally by the numeral 1 a supporting frameworkfor my improved mineral recovering machine which, as shown, consists ofa pair or more of spaced parallel base beams 2 of suitable size andweight which extend transversely of the structure and spacedsubstantially parallel reinforcing base beams 3 which extend along andform the sides of the framework structure as shown.

At the four corners of the rectangular frame which is formed by the basebeams 2 and 3 there are fixed upright beams 4 which are connected attheir upper ends by head beams 5 and 6 which define a rectangle of thesame size as that formed by the base beams 2 and 3.

Each of the head beams 6 has pivotally attached thereto, adjacent eachend, a pair of depending hanger straps 7, the members of each pair beingdisposed upon opposite sides of the adjacent head beam in the mannershown in Figure 1. Pivotally secured as at 8 between the free ends ofeach pair of hanger straps 7 is a hanging beam 9 and the beams 9suspended from each head beam 6 are connected by cross bars 10, the bars10 connecting one pair of hanger beams being disposed at differentelevations from the corresponding bars of the adjacent hanger beams.

Disposed between the hanger beams 9 of each pair and connecting one pairwith the other is a series of troughs each of which is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 11. As shown, these troughs rest upon the crossbars 10 of the hanger beams and due to the manner in which the crossbars 10 are disposed one trough is oppositely inclined to the nexthigher or next lower trough and as shown they are so positioned thateach discharges into the raised end of the next lower one.

Each trough has a pair of side walls 12, a front and a rear wall 13 and14 respectively and a bottom 15. The bottom 15 of each trough is formedto provide a number of transverse openings or recesses 16, one thereofbeing directly adjacent the rear wall of the trough and being ofmaterially greater width than the others. This latter recess isindicated generally by the numeral 16a.

Each trough has in the bottom thereof a metal pan 17, the bottom ofwhich is formedto provide a number of rifiles 18 each of which positions110 in one of the recesses 16. At its rear end the pan 17 is formed toprovide a wide transverse trough 19 which positions in the recess 16aand the adjacent end of the pan is open and overlies the cut out portionof the rear wall 14 of the trough so that the contents of the trough mayflo-w freely from the pan through this open end.

Within each of the pans 17 there is disposed over the bottom thereof andspaced approximately one-eighth of an inch therefrom a creeper 20 ofcanvas, burlap, or other flexible material, the sides and front endedges of which are turned to extend up over the inner faces of theadjacent side and front end walls of the trough in the manner indicatedat 21.

The turned up end of the creeper 21 at the front end of the trough issecured in place by a dash plate 22 but is disposed transversely acrossthe front end of the trough and extends a substantial distance upwardlybeyond the top thereof as shown.

Extending longitudinally of the inner face of each side wall 12 of eachtrough is an upwardly and inwardly directed water guide board 23 thelower edge of which overlies the adjacent turned up side edge of thefabric creeper 20 and secures the same in place.

In the rear end of each trough there is disposed an upright frame whichis indicated generally by the numeral 24. This frame is of substantiallyU-shaped configuration and has each upright arm 25 thereof bolted orotherwise secured to the adjacent side 12 of the trough. The lowerportion 26 of the frame is provided in its upper face with alongitudinal recess 27 in which snugly fits a pair of plates 28 whichhave clamped between them the forward edge of the fabric creeper 20.From this it will be seen that the forward edge of the creeper 20 turnsdownwardly slightly into the transverse mineral receiving trough 19 ofeach trough pan and is held in spaced relation by the supporting frame24 to the adjacent side of the transverse trough.

Each side wall 12 of each trough is provided at its rear end with arecess 29 in its top edge. The recesses in the side walls of each troughare in the same vertical plane as the longitudinal center of theadjacent transverse trough 19 and each recess has its edges covered by asuitable wear strip 30.

Suspended in the transverse trough 19 of each of the troughs 11 is thehorizontal or yoke portion 31 of a substantially U-shaped agitator whichis indicated generally by the numeral 32. The upright arms 33 of each ofthe agitators 32 have formed integral therewith the supporting shafts 33which pass through the adjacent recesses 29 in the side members of thetroughs. Each shaft is formed to receive one end of a spring 34 theother end of which is secured in the manner shown to the adjacentupright 4 of the frame structure. In order to prevent the shafts 33 fromaccidentally disengaging from the recesses 29 in which they are placedthere is pivotally attached to the top edge of each trough side wall 12the keeper 35 which may be swung into position across the adjacentrecess in the manner shown. The yoke portion 31 of each agitator isprovided with the laterally directed fins 36 which serve to make theagitator more efiicient. In order to prevent contact of the arms 33 ofthe agitators with the adjacent side walls 12 of the confining troughs,these arms are confined in an elongated yoke loop 37 which is secured inany suitable manner to the adjacent end wall.

Extending transversely of the water guides 23 of each trough adjacentthe forward end thereof, is a bar 38 to which is attached a canvas float39 which extends downwardly into the trough. The lower end of this floathas secured thereacross a wood and/or metal bar 40 which serves to keepthe float 39 in contact with the surface of the water and materialpassing through the trough.

In the operation of my machine the mineral carrying water is dischargedinto the uppermost of one of the troughs l1 and lateral oscillatorymotion is given to all of the troughs by swinging the hanging beams 9upon their supporting straps '7.

The mineral bearing water flows longitudinally through the first troughunder the canvas float 39 which serves to force all of the lighterparticles of minerals to the bottom of the stream of water where thesame, if of the proper degree of fineness, pass through the fabricscreen 20 to the bottom of the pan 17. These fine particles will becaught in the rifiles 18 of the pan. The other particles of mineralsflow to the rear end of the pan and are discharged into the transverseor cross trough 19. It will be seen that the agitators 32 arepractically held against movement so that when the troughs areoscillated back and forth the fin carrying portions of these agitatorswill sweep lengthwise through the trans verse trough in which they arepositioned and will keep the mineral matter therein in a constant stateof agitation. As the water, and material in suspension therein, flowthrough the cut down back wall of the top trough it will strike againstthe dash plate 22 of the next lower trough and will then flow throughthis trough in the same manner as described in connection with the firsttrough. I'he water guides 23 at the sides of the troughs keep down theformation of foam on the water and tend to make the same flow smoothly.As previously stated the canvas float forces to the bottom of the troughthe fine particles of mineral matter which may rise to the top of thewater as the same enters the trough.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a mineral separating device, a trough designed to have mineralcarrying water pass longitudinally therethrough and including a bottom,side walls and a front and rear wall, said rear wall being partiallyopen to permit the discharge of water from the trough, rifiles formedtransversely in the bottom of the trough, a transverse trough formedadjacent the discharge end of the trough, and a fabric screen suspendedin spaced relation to and over the bottom of the first mentioned troughand extending upwardly along its side and front edges over the adjacentwalls of the first mentioned trough and further having its rear edgerigidly held and terminating adjacent said transverse trough.

2. In a mineral separating device, a trough designed to have mineralcarrying water passed longitudinally therethrough and including bottom,side and front and rear walls, said rear wall having an opening throughthe central portion thereof to permit the water to discharge from thetrough into a receiver therebeneath, rifiles formed transversely of thebottom of the trough, a screen extending longitudinally of the troughbottom over said riffies, said trough at the rear end thereof having atransverse trough in the bottom thereof, said screen terminating at itsrear end over said transverse trough, a body of flexible materialdisposed transversely of the trough and depending thereinto and engagingat its lower edge said screen, and inwardly and up wardly inclined waterguides extending longitudinally of the side walls of the trough toprevent the boiling up of water passing therethrough.

3. In a mineral separating device, a trough de signed to have mineralcarrying water passed longitudinally therethrough, said trough includinga bottom, side and end walls, one of said end walls having an openingformed therethrough to permit water to discharge from the trough, arelatively wide trough formed transversely of said bottom adjacent theopen end wall, a plurality of riflies formed transversely of the bottomof the trough, a fabric screen disposed above and in spaced relation tothe bottom of the trough and extending from the closed end wall to thetransverse trough, said screen having its side edges and the end edgeadjacent the closed end wall turned upwardly and secured to the adjacentwalls, a frame disposed transversely of the trough adjacent thetransverse trough and having upright side members secured to the sidewalls of the trough and a cross member disposed in the transversetrough, the other end edge of said screen being secured to said framecross member, and a flexible body suspended into the trough from theupper portion thereof and having its lower edge shiftably held in closecontact with said screen, said flexible body operating to submergemineral particles carried by the water passing through the trough.

4. In a mineral operating device, a trough designed to have mineralcarrying water passed lcngitudinally therethrough and including a bottoma side and front and rear walls, said rear wall having the top edge outdown to permit the discharge of water from the trough, a transversetrough in said bottom adjacent the rear wall, said side walls havingrecesses formed therein adjacent the ends of the transverse trough,rifiies formed transversely of said bottom, a screen overlying andspaced from said bottom and entirely covering the same, said screenhaving one edge terminating over the transverse trough, an agitatorcomprising a substantially U shaped frame suspended in the trough withthe yoke portion disposed in the transverse trough and having fins onsaid yoke portion, arms formed integral with the upright side members ofthe agitator frame and extended through the apertures in the side walls,and means for retaining said agitator in position while permittingmovement thereof transversely of the trough.

5. In a mineral separating device, a trough designed to form one of aplurality and adapted to have mineral carrying water passedlongitudinally therethrough, said trough including bottom, side andfront and rear walls, said rear wall being open to permit water to passtherefrom, a screen in the bottom of said trough and spaced from thebottom, riffles disposed beneath said screen, upwardly and inwardlyinclined bodies carried by said side walls and extending throughout thelength thereof, a fabric body suspended from one edge into said troughand having its opposite or lower edge weighted to be maintained in closeproximity to said screen, and a dash plate disposed at an upward andforward inclination against the front wall of the trough and extending asubstantial distance above the same, to receive water flowing into thetrough from an overlying body.

6. In a mineral separator, a trough structure designed to be oscillatedin a path transversely to the flow of material therethrough, comprisingan elongated body having a bottom, side walls, and an end wall, theother end of the body being open for the discharge of materialtherefrom, means associated-with said trough whereby the finer particlesof mineral matter being washed therethrough may be separated from thecoarser particles, an agitator element suspended in the trough andhaving arms extending beyond the sides thereof, and resilient elementsconnected to said arms to be secured to adjacent fixed bodies andoperating to maintain the agitator element against material movementduring the oscillation of the trough.

CHARLES KOCH.

